


Just Take My Hand

by nautical_2



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Established Relationship, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Meeting the Parents, Multi, i hate tagging ot4s ugh theres so many individual relationship tags
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:35:17
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24751705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nautical_2/pseuds/nautical_2
Summary: They’ve got it all planned out, the four of them.First, it’s a week in Anshan with Minghao’s parents. Then it’s a month in Shenzhen with Junhui’s family, a week (or two, depending) in Changwon with Wonwoo’s family, and whatever time they have left in Anyang with Mingyu’s family before returning to Seoul. On the other hand, Wonwoo loves his boyfriends to pieces, but there’s a part of him that wants nothing more than to tuck themselves into bed and sleep the summer away.(Or: WonHuiGyuHao take on the world)
Relationships: Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu/Wen Jun Hui | Jun/Xu Ming Hao | The8, Jeon Wonwoo/Wen Jun Hui | Jun, Jeon Wonwoo/Xu Ming Hao | The8
Comments: 15
Kudos: 84





	1. I

**Author's Note:**

> happy pride month!
> 
> i started writing because we hear a lot of good stories during pride month (which is great!) but there are also bad ones, like people who dont have accepting parents or family and have to hide a part of who they are in order to fit in to the role that is perceived for them and that sucks. so i guess what im trying to say is that this is for all the people who are genuinely being held back from fully being who they are by institutionalized homophobia/transphobia and/or have to deal with unsupportive parents/family. i feel you, and im here for you. 
> 
> i think everyone should be proud of who they are. but after growing up in a culture that prioritizes family and honor, theres a difference between saying "im gonna come out and be who i am" and actually doing it. that fear is not easy to get over, especially when youve been told your entire life that who you are is inherently wrong. 
> 
> im gonna do my best give this story a happy ending, but not all stories like this have happy endings, and thats just the facts of life. not everyone gets lucky like that, and it sucks, and those people are just as valid as everyone else, but they may never get recognized as such and that? that hurts
> 
> where was i going with this? oh idk 
> 
> song title comes from this legendary song and these lyrics in particular:  
> "Let's recreate 'em,  
> the constellations.  
> we don't need to land  
> just take my hand  
> let's fly"  
> \- rocket (eng version)
> 
> (i am notoriously bad at finishing fics that i actually want to write, so i may never finish this. that being said, this first chapter is the one i wanted to write the most, so here you go. enjoy)

They’ve got it all planned out, the four of them. 

First, it’s a week in Anshan with Minghao’s parents. Then it’s a month in Shenzhen with Junhui’s family, a week (or two, depending) in Changwon with Wonwoo’s family, and whatever time they have left in Anyang with Mingyu’s family before returning to Seoul so Mingyu and Minghao can finish university, Wonwoo can finish his internship, and Junhui can start his new job. 

Minghao has it all written down on paper, because he’s particular like that, dates neatly printed and itinerary all scheduled out. Junhui has an entire folder of bookmarks on his phone of things he wants to do, places he wants to go, food he wants to eat. Mingyu trusts the rest of them with his life, and spends his time chasing after each of them like a puppy, tongue out and tail wagging, begging for hints about their plans. 

Wonwoo, on the other hand? Wonwoo loves his boyfriends to pieces, but there’s a part of him that wants nothing more than to stay home in their brand new apartment, tuck themselves into bed, and sleep the summer away.

\---

The flight from Incheon to Shenyang is slightly more than an hour, and after that it’s another two hours by train to Anshan, where Minghao’s father will be at the station to pick them up. 

Wonwoo starts the trip nervous, because how could he not be? But Mingyu doesn’t know how to sit still, and Junhui won’t stop humming songs Wonwoo doesn’t recognize, and Minghao falls asleep within the first two minutes on both the plane and the train. The air on the plane is stale, and on the train it’s hot and muggy, and by the time they finally pull into the station it’s ten p.m. and Wonwoo is ready to vibrate out of his skin. 

“You okay?” Junhui asks, sliding his fingers against Wonwoo’s arm. It’s too hot for physical comfort, but the touch helps Wonwoo get out of his head a little bit and back into the real world. 

“Yeah.” He says, and links his fingers with Junhui’s for a split second in return. Junhui’s breath smells like the ramyeon he ate for lunch and the strawberry chapstick Mingyu got for his birthday. They shouldn’t go together, but somehow they do, and Wonwoo thinks it represents Junhui perfectly: unexplainable, but somehow making sense.

“Wake up, we’re here.” Mingyu shakes Minghao awake, hand on his wrist. 

To his credit, Minghao doesn’t startle awake. He simply opens his eyes, looks around, and makes eye contact with Wonwoo before smiling. Wonwoo can’t help but smile back. 

“I’m awake.” He says, yawning and stretching his hands above his head. The movement causes the bottom of his shirt to ride up, and Wonwoo sees Junhui in the corner of his eye, eyes glued to the sliver of exposed skin. 

“Come on!” Mingyu is far too excited. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.” 

This time, when Minghao makes eye contact with Wonwoo, they can’t help but laugh. 

“We better go.” Minghao stands, and extends a hand to Wonwoo. They both watch as Junhui chases Mingyu out of the train, yelling something about not getting lost and looking for someone older and skinnier than Minghao. “Before one of them gets arrested.” 

Wonwoo clings to Minghao’s hand until they both clear the train car. Maybe this trip won’t be so bad, after all. 

\---

Wonwoo meets Minghao’s dad, bows once, and forgets every bit of Mandarin Chinese he had crammed into his brain for months before in order to prepare for this very moment.

It’s okay, though. Between Mingyu’s stuttering attempts at making coherent sentences, Junhui’s polite conversation, and Minghao playing the dutiful son, Wonwoo is free to rest his head against the cool glass or the car window and stare out at the night. 

There isn’t a whole lot to look at. The brightest thing Wonwoo can see is the train station itself, and the lack of sun makes it hard to make out the traditional landmarks Minghao had mentioned when they were discussing his hometown. Still, there’s something about the cool night air that seems almost refined, the same way Minghao always sits with his back straight and never drinks iced coffee. 

When they arrive at the Xu family home, Wonwoo sees hints of Minghao everywhere he looks. There’s a painting on one of the walls in an abstract style that Wonwoo recognizes immediately, pictures of a small toddler with Minghao’s slight smile, an older woman with Minghao’s eyes and ears. 

“Welcome.” She greets them, and Wonwoo recovers enough of his brain power to mutter a small “Thank you for inviting us” in return. 

It’s late, and the moon is fully out now. Wonwoo can see it clearly through the window in Minghao’s room, and when he presses his forehead the glass, he tries to make out as many stars as he can. 

“Your house is nice.” Mingyu says. The house itself is a little bit old, and a little bit traditional, with the walls made of wood and the cement floor cool beneath Wonwoo’s feet. There’s pillows and blankets stacked neatly on the two couches in the living room, but the four of them pile into Minghao’s room, where there’s a mattress on the floor next to the bed. 

Junhui is smiling a little maniacally. “You were a cute baby.” He says, and Wonwoo watches his fingers twitch with the urge to reach out and pinch Minghao’s cheeks. 

Minghao must also see it, because he covers his face and leans into Mingyu, whose arms instinctively reach out to steady him. “Don’t you dare.” He threatens, and Junhui laughs a little bit too loud. 

“The bathroom is across the hall.” Minghao says, passing Junhui a clean towel before collapsing on his bed, rolling himself under his covers like a snake. Or a very thin burrito. Or something else equally as cute.

“So who's sleeping where?” Mingyu asks while Junhui is digging through his suitcase searching for sleep-appropriate clothing, towel hanging around his neck. 

Junhui shrugs when he stands and makes his way out, holding one of Mingyu’s hoodies and a pair of Wonwoo’s boxers in his hand. “Doesn’t matter to me.”

They can hear his voice over the sound of running water when he calls out from the bathroom. “You guys can let me know what you decide when I come back.” 

Mingyu’s eyes light up. “Really?” He sounds far too excited. “Then I call sleeping with Minghao, on the real bed.” 

“No.” Minghao replies. “My house, my rules, and tonight I’m sleeping with Wonwoo.” 

“Oh.” Wonwoo watches Mingyu’s excitement fade. Something about the statement makes the butterflies in Wonwoo’s stomach flutter excitedly, but it’s hard to watch Mingyu deflate like that. 

“If that’s okay with you, Hyung?” Minghao asks. “We didn’t really get to spend a lot of time together during school, after all, so I thought it would be nice.” 

The last part of his statement mollifies Mingyu, because it’s true, and he starts unloading his stuff onto the mattress on the floor. Wonwoo, however, is stuck in place. He and Junhui don’t really enforce honorifics when it’s just the four of them, because Minghao and Junhui don’t really care for them, and Mingyu is usually more excited than he is disrespectful, but something about hearing that familiar word here in a place that is completely unfamiliar goes a long way in soothing Wonwoo’s frayed nerves. 

“Of course it’s okay. You know I love sleeping with you.” He adds lecherously, because he has a reputation to maintain, and laughs when Mingyu hums in appreciation and Minghao rolls his eyes. 

“What did I miss?” Junhui asks, appearing in the doorway once more. Wonwoo knows Junhui likes showering in the morning, because waking up earlier means the shower is open and the water is reliably hot. Still, his hair is wet and dripping into his eyes, and Mingyu’s hoodie is a little bit too large for his frame, somehow making him look small.

It’s adorable. Wonwoo steps in the hall to make sure Minghao’s parents aren’t there before stepping back into the room and kissing Junhui firmly. 

“You and I are floor buddies.” Mingyu says, unbothered, while Minghao watches with knowing eyes. 

Jun smiles. “Cool!” He says, before launching himself at Mingyu’s body. 

Wonwoo smiles to himself before grabbing a clean towel and heading to the bathroom. He closes the door to the sound of Mingyu and Junhui’s laughter.

\---

“Are you okay?” Minghao asks quietly as he tucks himself back into bed, Mingyu and Jun already asleep on the floor, legs twisted together and blanket tossed to the side. Being the youngest in their little quartet means that Minghao sometimes gets the short end of the stick. In cases like this, it means he’s last in line for the bathroom. It also means that Wonwoo, as his bed partner, can’t sleep until Minghao is done. 

“Hmm?” Wonwoo hums. “I’m fine.” 

Minghao sighs, and his breath smells minty and clean. Wonwoo tucks himself a little closer, because he can, and feels Minghao’s arms cling tighter to him in return. 

“You seemed a little bit stressed on the plane. And on the train. We didn’t ignore you too much, did we?” 

Minghao has always been too observant for his own good, and of course he would have ulterior motives for sleeping in the same bed as Wonwoo. 

“It’s fine.” Wonwoo repeats, a little less convincingly. “I know how you get when traveling.” Minghao is the type that falls asleep in any and all forms of transportation unless he’s in the driver’s seat, and while it does get annoying sometimes, it’s part of what makes Minghao who he is– and Wonwoo wouldn’t trade that for anything. 

“Still, I bet Jun spent the entire time singing those dumb ballads of his.” Minghao insists, and Wonwoo breathes out a huffy laugh. “And Mingyu is just like a dog, trying to stick his head out the window and feel the breeze in his hair.” 

Wonwoo presses a small kiss against Minghao’s forehead. The skin there is soft and smells clean. “You guys were fine, and I was playing games the whole time anyway. I’m just nervous.” 

“I see.” Minghao hums, pressing a kiss against the hollow of Wonwoo’s throat in return. Wonwoo can feel sleep creeping at the corner of his mind, threatening to take over despite itch in the back of his neck and buzz in his fingertips. 

“But that’s why you have us, you know?” Minghao continues. In the dead of night, when everyone else is asleep, Minghao is the same as he always is: calm, reliable, sweet. “We’ll be here, no matter what happens.”

\---

Wonwoo wakes to the chirping of birds, the sun shining directly in his eyes, and an empty space next to him in the bed that smells faintly of Minghao. 

“Go away.” He says, pulling the thin blanket over his head. Both he and Minghao run a little bit cold, unlike their space heater boyfriends, so they actually used the blanket the night before.

“Are you talking to me or to the sun?” Junhui’s voice asks knowingly from outside Wonwoo’s safe space. Wonwoo groans. 

“Yes. Both?” He replies. “What time is it?” 

A weight sinks into the bed, and a hand creeps under Wonwoo’s shield to pet his hair. It feels nice, and he can feel himself lean into the touch. 

“Sleepy kitty.” Junhui laughs. His laugh sounds ugly, like a chicken squawking, and the first time Wonwoo heard it, he promised himself he’d do anything to hear it again. Years later, it’s still the most precious thing he’s ever heard. “It’s almost ten. Better get up soon if you want breakfast.” 

“Hrrgh.” Wonwoo says, before gently lifting the blanket off his face. Blocking the sun from shining directly in his eyes is Junhui, eyes crinkled in a smile, moles peppering his face like constellations. If Wonwoo didn’t have two other boyfriends he loved very much, he would claim Junhui as the most beautiful person in the world. As it is, he’s currently in a three way tie for first place. 

“Hello beautiful.” Junhui says, like he’s reading Wonwoo’s mind, and gives him a quick kiss. Junhui tastes like jelly candy and strawberries. Wonwoo leans up for another kiss, but Junhui stands up quickly. 

“Nope, up.” He says. “Before Gyu eats all the food and leaves you nothing.” 

Wonwoo rolls his eyes but gets up anyway. 

\---

Minghao takes charge of their week easily, and none of them dare disobey him. They do the normal tourist stuff, like go to the national parks and the hot springs, but they also do the things Minghao did when he was growing up. They go to Minghao’s favorite cafe, his favorite restaurants, his favorite tea shop, his favorite thrift store. 

The list is never ending. Wonwoo finds himself dragged around from place to place, Mingyu dutifully taking pictures, Junhui translating what he can. Whenever Wonwoo sees something pretty, he asks Minghao for the story behind it, and even though he doesn’t really understand what’s going on, it’s worth it to see the way Minghao’s eyes shine with happiness, hands waving as he tells stories of living in China as a normal kid before going to Korea to chase his dreams. 

When Junhui and Minghao get into a heated discussion over the best way to eat Xiao Long Bao, Wonwoo and Mingyu sneak into a small jewelry store. The citrine earrings leave a pretty hefty dent in Wonwoo’s bank account, but they go with Minghao’s orange tinted shades perfectly, and his smile seems twice as large for the rest of the day. 

The four of them try not to talk about it too much, why they’re here, how this might be Minghao’s last time in Anshan. Minghao hasn’t been back in three years, not since he first came to Korea without his parents’ permission, and it’s obvious in the way the Minghao and his parents circle each other carefully, each so careful not to offend, not knowing where they stand with one another. 

Wonwoo remembers the Minghao from his first year, when he was young and skinny and afraid to show affection to anyone. He’s stronger now, both physically and emotionally, and Wonwoo hates seeing how this unfamiliarity with his parents sucks out all the confidence Minghao has built since then.

He’s not the only one. Mingyu is Wonwoo’s soulmate and he knows Junhui like the back of his hand, so it’s easy to see the way they circle Minghao, offering silent support. Junhui spends hours talking to Minghao’s father, and Wonwoo may not understand the conversation, but he sees the way the both of them look at a blushing Minghao with soft eyes. Mingyu spends his free time in the kitchen, and despite the language barrier, somehow manages to charm Minghao’s mother into sharing her family recipes. 

Wonwoo doesn’t have these personal talents– he isn’t sociable like Jun, and can’t cook like Mingyu, but he’s had his internship for two years now, and even though he’s using up literally all of his vacation time and sick leave for this trip, it’s still a well paying internship. So he buys flowers for the house, and blushes when Minghao’s mom pinches his cheeks and calls him a good boy. He buys a new set of cutting boards for the kitchen and interesting books about art and science for the living room and hopes it’s enough to get Minghao’s parents to like him. Like all three of them. 

Minghao’s father hasn’t said anything about the fact that all four of them sleep in Minghao’s room, but Wonwoo knows he’s curious. Curious as to why they’re only staying for a week if Minghao has two months off of school, curious as to why he chose to bring three of his friends to his childhood home from Korea, curious as to why they four circle around each other, almost close enough to touch. 

But not quite. 

\---

(“Are you sure you want to do this?” Junhui asks, during one of their planning sessions. The four of them are tucked into bed, on the two twin mattresses Wonwoo and Junhui had pushed together at the beginning of the year for this very reason. Mingyu is still in his jeans and Minghao’s jacket is hanging on the door, because Jihoon would throw a fit if they stayed over again, but Wonwoo knows all four of them are comfortable enough to fall asleep if they really want to.

“Do your parents even know you like guys?” Mingyu sounds concerned. 

Minghao just shrugs. “Jun and Wonwoo, you guys are telling your families, right? I should do it too. It’s better to get it over with now, anyway.” 

Wonwoo nods, but there’s a lump in his throat, because he would rather die than let anyone hurt Minghao. 

“We’ll be by your side the whole time.” Junhui sounds firm. “We love you.” 

Wonwoos is quick to repeat the sentiment, Mingyu not far behind. Minghao just blushes. 

“Let’s go to my place first, then.” He says. “Just in case.” 

He doesn’t have to finish the thought for the other three to understand exactly what he means. Mingyu’s face pales, and even Junhui looks a little bit uncomfortable at the idea. 

Wonwoo understands, though. He reaches out and pulls Minghao’s body towards himself. Minghao accepts the physical comfort easily, submitting without a word when Junhui reaches out to play with his hair. 

“We’ll have to be careful.” Minghao continues, his body boneless and words sleepy. “I’ll tell them at the end of the week, but we should be careful. No PDA, no touching.”

Wonwoo knows Minghao can feel it when his arms tighten around him. It’s instinctual, because it’s taken them so long to get to this point, where Wonwoo can lie in bed with the three people he loves most and reach out and touch. Minghao had been hard to crack at the beginning, all manners and forced smiles and staring from afar. He’s just as touchy as the rest of them, now, which is good, and it turns Wonwoo’s insides to goo when he smiles widely and laughs like he has no care in the world and reaches out without hesitation. 

“Don’t worry.” Mingyu sounds confident. “For you, we’ll do anything.” 

Minghao blushes again. “Thank you.” He says, and his voice is small, but his hands reach out to grab at Mingyu’s, and Wonwoo has never felt more at home than he does here and now. “I love you guys too.”)

\---

On their last night in Anshan, Junhui takes Wonwoo and Mingyu to a local park and brushes them up on their Chinese skills. He explains what his family is like, describes Feng Jun in– quite frankly– alarming detail, and teaches them snippets of Cantonese by pointing at random objects and translating their names.

When Minghao finally texts them that it’s okay to come back to the house, it’s past midnight. The house is empty when they arrive, Minghao’s parents are already in their room, probably asleep. There are tear tracks on his face, though, and Wonwoo and Junhui have a competition for who can be the fastest to wet a cloth and wipe them away while Mingyu holds his hand and hugs him tight. 

“You two should sleep in the living room tonight.” Minghao says when Wonwoo and Junhui come back from the bathroom. He looks so, so tired. “Gyu and I will pack your things, and our taxi will be here at six to take us to the train station.” 

He doesn’t need to tell them how the talk went. “Is there anything we can do?” Wonwoo asks, because he hates being useless. He knows that this is something Minghao has to face head on, because it’s his family and he’s been estranged from them for years, but he wishes there was something tangible he could do to help. 

But Minghao just shakes his head. 

“I love you.” Mingyu says, and even though Minghao tenses and glances at the closed door to the master bedroom, he still smiles slightly. It’s nothing like the huge grins he gets sometimes when they’re alone in Wonwoo and Junhui’s room in Korea, but it’s something. It’s enough. 

“I love you too.” He says.

Wonwoo instinctively reaches for Junhui and is met half-way. They sit in silence as the clock ticks over to one a.m. The air around them is morbid, and Wonwoo doesn’t know exactly what they’re mourning, but it has something to do with family and love.

But, of course, aren’t those two the same thing?


	2. II

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none of the chapters are equal lengths and thats on me,,, Oops

Wonwoo feels bad for thinking it, but the flight to Shenzhen goes much better than the one to Anshan did. This time, all four of them fall asleep before the plane even takes off, exhausted from their late night of painful conversation and heavy hearts. 

Wonwoo wakes up once when the plane is still in the air. Mingyu is snoring softly, legs stretched into the aisle seat, ready to trip an unsuspecting passenger. Junhui across the aisle has his head tilted at a painful angle with his eyes still open, scaring the flight attendant walking by. Minghao seems the most comfortable of them all, sleep mask over his eyes, his head resting lightly on Wonwoo’s shoulder. 

Wonwoo closes his eyes again and leans against the window shade. He’s asleep again in seconds.

\---

When they land, Minghao is the hardest to wake up. His eyes are crusted over, and Wonwoo wonders if he wore the eye mask to hide the fact that he’s still crying over what happened the night before. 

“I’m fine.” Minghao says irritably, but doesn’t shove Wonwoo’s hand off his shoulder, so Wonwoo counts it as a win. 

It’s easy to spot Junhui’s family at the arrivals gate. Even if Junhui hadn’t spent hours describing his mother’s smile and his step-father’s eyes and his brother’s hair, Wonwoo would recognize them easily from the pictures in their room and Junhui’s weekly skype calls.

“Mom!” He cries, before abandoning his suitcase with Wonwoo and Mingyu and leaping into his mother’s arms. Minghao is two steps behind them, eyes still suspiciously red, and Wonwoo and Mingyu share a knowing look before creeping forward. 

“Mom, Dad, meet my friends.” Jun’s smile is so wide it nearly blinds Wonwoo with the light it produces. It’s even enough to get Minghao to smile in return, despite how he keeps rubbing at his eyes. 

They all bow politely and introduce themselves, Junhui’s last minute lessons coming in useful as Wonwoo doesn’t stumble over his words this time. They get two warm smiles and a very cute picture in return, as Feng Jun leaps into his brother’s arms, despite being twelve years old and nearly as tall as Minghao.

Junhui’s family takes them to a busy restaurant and orders more dishes than the seven of them could ever hope to finish. The waiters and waitresses greet Junhui by name, and Wonwoo and Mingyu take advantage of the language barrier to stuff their faces as much as they can, as Junhui enlists Minghao to help him talk to the kind-looking servers. 

By the end of the night, Wonwoo’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much. His stomach is full of good food, his mouth tingling from spice. Mingyu looks ready to pass out at any minute, blinking away the food coma drowsiness. Minghao is laughing as he talks with Feng Jun, pinky linked with Junhui’s under the table where no one can see them. 

Junhui’s home is very different from Minghao’s. Wonwoo knows that the last time Junhui came back was the summer after his first year (and man, was that a difficult summer), around the same time Minghao left home, but there aren’t just hints of Junhui in the apartment. Wonwoo looks around, at the walls and the floor and in the rooms, and thinks  _ yes, this is where Junhui grew up. _

His favorite juice is in the fridge. All of Junhui’s favorite books are on the shelves, his favorite movies in a pile under the T.V., and pictures of him with Feng Jun and him with his parents and him by himself line the walls. Wonwoo sees one of Junhui, dressed in a traditional martial arts uniform and standing at attention, smile wide and a silver medal hanging around his neck. The Junhui in the picture is young, but old enough that Wonwoo recognizes him easily, and he stands in front of the picture, transfixed by Junhui’s wide smile. 

“Only second place?” Minghao asks jokingly, when he sees what Wonwoo is staring at. 

“Hey!” Junhui’s eyes are wide open in mock offense. “You should be proud that I managed to place in the first place.” 

Minghao laughs, and Wonwoo didn’t know it was possible, but he smiles even wider at the interaction. “Sure thing.” 

Junhui gets distracted by a conversation with his mom, who is holding a stack of towels and blankets. Wonwoo watches in amusement as she slaps Junhui lightly on the back of the head before handing him the pile. 

Minghao laughs, and says something that mollifies Junhui’s mom. She wishes them goodnight, and retreats to the master bedroom at the end of the hall. Feng Jun’s door is closed, but Wonwoo can hear the sounds of someone playing a shooting game inside. Junhui leads them to the last remaining room, where there’s a twin sized bed pushed up against a queen sized mattress. 

“Sorry, my mom was just asking if we’re really okay sharing a bed. She wanted me to ask you guys, but I told her it was okay.” Junhui rubs the back of his head subconsciously, and Wonwoo smiles to himself, because ever since Seungcheol and Jeonghan and Joshua graduated, it’s very rare to watch their oldest get scolded by somebody older than him. 

“Poor baby.” Mingyu coos, kissing the spot carefully. Minghao snorts and falls backwards onto the bed. 

Wonwoo follows shortly after him, staring at the walls around them. There are posters of Junhui’s favorite celebrities on the walls, and colorful glow in the dark stars stuck to the ceiling, and it’s so  _ Junhui _ that Wonwoo has to take a moment and swallow down the love that threatens to burst from his chest. 

\---

Wonwoo wakes up to Minghao stifling tears, face pushed up against Junhui’s chest. Wonwoo himself is wrapped in the arms of a 187 cm octopus, but manages to free one hand and entwine his fingers with Minghao’s. 

They don’t say a word, but when Wonwoo squeezes Minghao’s hand, Minghao squeezes his back. 

\---

Their plan lasts for a total of two days before Junhui inevitably messes up. 

Wonwoo can’t even blame him. It’s easy to fall into family life here, because Junhui’s parents treat Junhui like he never left and the rest of them like their own children. Mingyu helps cook, Wonwoo helps with the dishes, and Minghao teaches Feng Jun how to draw, and it’s sickeningly domestic. 

It’s the day before Junhui’s birthday. They’re eating dinner, and Wonwoo places a piece of shrimp that mysteriously appeared in his own bowl in Junhui’s. 

“Thanks, babe.” Junhui says, without a second thought, and there’s silence around the dinner table. 

“Babe?” Feng Jun repeats, his slight accent twisting the Korean words, but Wonwoo knows he understood. 

So did Junhui’s parents, if their expressions are anything to go by. Junhui’s step-dad asks something, and Wonwoo only catches the word “boyfriend”, and oh– it’s happening now, he guesses. 

Wonwoo watches Junhui’s family carefully. Junhui had told them during the planning process that his parents wouldn’t care, and that they’d support him no matter what, but after what happened with Minghao, Wonwoo can’t help but be a little bit scared anyway. 

Junhui talks quickly, like he normally does, and the only other time Wonwoo has ever heard Junhui this nervous was the day he asked Wonwoo what he thought of polyamory all those years ago. 

His parents don’t have much of a reaction. Junhui’s mother stares at her son with kind eyes, and even though Wonwoo can see surprise written clear as day on Junhui’s step-father’s face, he can’t find a single hint of anger or disgust. 

Feng Jun loses interest in the conversation almost immediately, going back to shoveling food in his mouth. No one else joins him. 

Wonwoo finally lets out his breath (he didn’t realize he stopped breathing) when Junhui nods to himself and turns back to the food. His hand creeps under the table to grab Wonwoo’s, and wow– Wonwoo didn’t realize he was shaking until now either. 

“Thank you.” Minghao says, voice cracking, and when Wonwoo looks over, his eyes are filled with tears. 

Junhui’s mom immediately reaches over to take Minghao’s hand, thumb running along his knuckles in comfort, and Wonwoo’s stomach finally settles enough for him to pick up his chopsticks. 

Junhui was right. There’s nothing much to worry about here after all. 

\---

“My parents want to talk to us.” Junhui tells them after dinner. He looks tired, and a little bit nervous, but he’s still smiling. “Me and Hao, I mean, since you two probably won’t understand what’s going on.” 

Minghao nods. His eyes are still wet, but he’s wrapped safely in Mingyu’s arms, so Wonwoo thinks he’ll be okay. 

“Should we just stay here, then?” Mingyu asks. They’re sitting on Junhui’s bed (beds?), and Wonwoo fiddles with a loose thread in one of the blankets, wrapping it around his finger and watching it turn white. 

“Yeah, that’s fine.” Junhui says. 

“They’re not angry or anything.” Minghao’s voice is soft, but Wonwoo can hear the undercurrents of jealousy underneath. “They just want to talk and understand without YangYang there listening in.” 

Wonwoo’s breath comes out of him in a whoosh. He unwraps his finger and watches it turn red, blood rushing back in. 

“Hey.” He says, punching Junhui lightly on the shoulder, trying to lighten the mood. “Why’d you have to go and give us away like that?” 

The tips of Junhui’s ears turn red. “I didn’t know they would understand Korean pet names.” He mumbles as Mingyu and Minghao laugh. 

\---

When Junhui and Minghao return to the room, it’s ten minutes before midnight. Mingyu is rummaging through his suitcase, and Wonwoo is playing games on his phone, pretending he isn’t extremely aware of every second that passes. 

Minghao enters the room and immediately collapses face first on the bed, groaning. Junhui shuts the door and leans his entire weight against it, sliding to the floor. His face is bright red, his smile wide, and Wonwoo doesn’t have to ask to know that whatever talk they had with Junhui’s parents went well. 

Still. “Are you okay?” Wonwoo asks Minghao, who looks like he’s trying to suffocate himself with a pillow. 

Minghao mumbles something in reply, but it’s muffled by the bed. In the corner where their suitcases are, Mingyu curses to himself and opens Wonwoo’s suitcase and starts to look through that instead. 

“Can you repeat that?” Wonwoo asks, starting a new level in his game. Junhui lets out a bark of laughter. 

“I said,” Minghao sounds about two minutes away from death, “I can’t believe they asked us about sex.” 

Wonwoo drops his phone on his face. It hurts, but it’s far from the first thing on his mind. “They asked you about  _ what?” _

“Sex.” Junhui supplies helpfully. “You know, when two— or more— people love each other very much–” 

“I know what sex is!” Wonwoo snaps. He knows why Junhui and Minghao’s faces are so red now. In his corner, Mingyu makes a desperate noise, and Wonwoo doesn’t know if it’s because he can’t find whatever he’s looking for or if it’s because of the current conversation. Quite frankly, Wonwoo doesn’t want to find out, either.

“Why would Junnie’s parents ask you about sex?” 

Minghao rolls over so Wonwoo can see his face properly. He looks like he’s been crying again, but Wonwoo’s not surprised. They knew going into it that this trip would be a very emotional one for all of them. 

“They don’t have enough beds to separate us, and they wanted to make sure we weren’t about to corrupt YangYang with our–” Minghao makes air quotes here– “Adult love.” 

“They’re my parents.” Junhui says, not nearly as affected as Minghao is. “It’s their job to embarrass me.” 

Minghao grows silent at that, and Junhui realizes his mistake a second too late. 

“I mean–”

“It’s fine.” Minghao interrupts, turning so he’s facing the wall. “I know what you meant.” 

There’s silence in the room for a minute more. Wonwoo doesn’t quite know what to do, because while Junhui and Minghao fight often enough, there’s not normally this much emotional tension charging the air. 

And, despite it being the very reason they’re on this trip right now, parents are still a sore spot for Minghao.

Wonwoo’s alarm goes off right next to his head, and he jumps at least a foot into the air. 

Jun looks up from where he’s staring at his feet, still sitting on the floor. “What was that?” 

Wonwoo does his best to smile. “Happy birthday, Junnie.” He says. 

Mingyu, who had been tearing through Minghao’s suitcase, takes out a small package wrapped in gold wrapping paper. “Happy birthday!” He cheers, passing Junhui the present, doing his best to lighten the mood in the room. 

Wonwoo looks up at the ceiling before closing his eyes. He knows what’s in the package– he and Mingyu had bought the moonstone necklace under Minghao’s instruction from the same store they had bought Minghao his surprise earrings. 

Junhui’s gasp of delight is music to Wonwoo’s ears. “Thank you.” He says. “It’s beautiful.” 

“You’re beautiful.” Wonwoo says, half on reflex, and half because even without looking at Junhui’s face he knows it’s true. Normally, Minghao would offer a snort of derision here, but he’s still quiet. Wonwoo feels bad, because it’s Junhui’s birthday, but one of the hardest and yet most important parts about being in a four person relationship is not taking sides in arguments, no matter how petty or important they might be. 

\---

Wonwoo expected the actual day of Junhui’s birthday to be a lot more exciting. Junhui is loud and outgoing with the people he’s closest to, and Wonwoo was expecting all of his highschool friends to crowd into the apartment and play games and eat cake. 

Instead, it’s Junhui, his boyfriends, and his family. “This is perfect.” Junhui says when Wonwoo asks. “All the people I love most celebrating me.” Wonwoo is torn between being embarrassed and hitting Junhui for his ego. 

The day passes by calmly. They don’t go anywhere, and Junhui’s parents still have work during the day, so the four of them spend the day puttering around the house. Mingyu starts prepping Junhui’s extravagant birthday dinner feast, and Wonwoo sits next to an open window and skims through one of the two Korean books Junhui has on his shelves. The weather is hot, but not so hot that it makes Wonwoo’s skin itch, and he thanks the universe for giving good weather on Junhui’s special day.

He overhears snippets of conversation between Junhui and Minghao. They hide in Junhui’s bedroom with the door closed, but when Wonwoo gets up to go to the bathroom, he manages to catch some of what they’re saying. 

“I’m sorry.” Minghao says. Wonwoo imagines the two of them, sitting on the bed facing each other, holding hands the way they do when they’re trying to be honest and heartfelt. “I shouldn't have snapped at you like that yesterday.” 

“It’s okay.” Junhui immediately replies, because he’s incapable of holding grudges. “I should have been more careful with my words.” 

Minghao sighs, and if Wonwoo knows them at all, then Minghao probably just let go of Junhui’s hand to push back his hair. 

“No.” He says. “We knew going into this trip that it wouldn’t be all happy for all of us, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be happy for yourself. Let yourself have nice things. Dealing with my parents is just something I have to get over by myself.” 

“Still, we should be by your side supporting you.” Junhui insists. 

“You are. I know you are, and I was out of line yesterday. Let me say sorry, okay? I love you.” 

“I love you too.” Junhui replies immediately. Wonwoo hears the wet sound of two people kissing, and smiles to himself. 

“Good.” The smile is clear as day in Minghao’s voice. “Happy birthday, Ge.” He says. 

“Don’t call me that! You don’t normally call me that.” Junhui laughs, and Wonwoo sneaks back to his seat on the couch before they can catch him eavesdropping.

\---

Dinner is a loud and exciting affair once Junhui’s parents come home from work, and after that, the seven of them settle down in the living room to play board games. Over the sound of Junhui and his brother squabbling over which Monopoly piece is the best, Wonwoo finds himself getting to know Junhui’s parents better. They ask about his education and his plans for the future, and even though graphic design and video games aren’t the most stable of paths, they seem suitably impressed when he tells them he already has a job lined up for the upcoming year. 

Or at least, he thinks they do. Minghao is doing his best as a translator, but Wonwoo knows how competitive he can get sometimes, so it’s no surprise when he stops paying attention to the conversation in order to strategize on the best way to win the game and beat the birthday boy. 

When Junhui has finished pouting, it’s time for the cake. Junhui’s parents had bought it from a local bakery before coming home from work, when Junhui’s face is brighter than the full moon outside the widow. They sing happy birthday to Junhui, enough candles stuck in the cake to start a house fire, and when he blows them all out, coffee powder flies off the tiramisu. 

“Oops.” Junhui giggles, and it takes all of Wonwoo’s self control to not reach over and kiss the smile off his face. 

Mingyu has no such qualms. “One kiss for the birthday boy!” He cheers, and kisses Junhui much more deeply than he should in front of his parents and little brother. 

“Me too.” Minghao says, smiling slightly, and what else is Wonwoo supposed to do other than line up behind him and offer his own gift to Junhui? 

“Ew.” Feng Jun says, with a face of disgust that crosses over the language barrier easily. All four of them laugh. 

Watching his boyfriends laugh, Wonwoo is hit with a surge of affection that nearly knocks him over. There’s Junhui, glowing in the center of attention, surrounded by all the people who love him most. There’s Mingyu off to the side, stuffing his face with cake, cream smeared around the sides of his mouth. In between them is Minghao, a small smile still on his face, celebrating the happiness of his boyfriend despite the pain in his own heart. Wonwoo loves them all, in equal measures, and he can’t imagine being anywhere but here, in this moment. 

\---

Wonwoo no longer loves his boyfriends three days later. 

“I can’t believe you guys are making me do this.” He moans, clenching his hands in his hair protectively. “I won’t do it. I can’t.” 

“But you promised!” Mingyu pouts, and if he weren’t so cute, Wonwoo would walk away right now. Junhui snickers, as though he knows exactly what Wonwoo is thinking.

Unfortunately, Mingyu is right. The four of them are standing in front of Junhui’s favorite hair salon, three of them shaking in excitement, and one quivering in fear. 

“You promised Gyu that if he got a perfect score on his final for his finance class you would dye your hair.” Minghao reminds Wonwoo unnecessarily. “He pulled two all-nighters to study for that class.” 

Wonwoo groans again. “I know!” He replies. After all, Junhui and Wonwoo had stayed up with him both of those nights– Junhui because he was taking the class with Mingyu and doing well, and Wonwoo because he had the largest knowledge of trivia and random information. Minghao was also there, but as his presence was mostly unnecessary in helping Mingyu pass his class, he had spent most of his time passed out on Junhui and Wonwoo’s bed.

Wonwoo had made the bet in an attempt to help Mingyu not fail the class. His hair is a small price to pay for Mingyu’s success, because he would probably chop off a limb for any of his boyfriends, but he really shouldn't have told his boyfriends they could pick the color. 

“Please be kind to my hair.” He mutters as Mingyu gleefully pushes him into the store. “Please remember how much you love it.”

(It’s a true statement. Wonwoo can’t count the number of times he had been lying on the couch in the apartment, reading or studying, and one of his boyfriends had come over solely to pet his hair.)

“Stop being so dramatic.” Minghao snorts, eyes hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. “That’s Mingyu’s job.” 

“He’s right.” Mingyu says, instead of getting offended. Wonwoo doesn’t like it when the three of them team up on him, so he turns to Junhui and goes into full helpless kitten mode. 

“Junnie, please save me.” He pushes his lower lip out the slightest bit, and wills tears to come to his eyes. 

Junhui just rolls his eyes and laughs. “Come on.” He says, instead of answering Wonwoo’s plea. Wonwoo resigns himself to an afternoon of betrayal and abject humiliation. 

Junhui, Mingyu, and Minghao talk quietly among themselves for a few moments before returning to where the hair stylist has Wonwoo sitting in the chair. With his glasses off, Wonwoo really can’t see anything, and belatedly wishes he had worn his contacts.

Junhui talks briefly with the stylist, and Wonwoo wishes he could remember more colors besides red and pink. He doesn’t hear either of them, however, which could either be really good or really bad.

So the stylist starts working on his precious hair, and Wonwoo closes his eyes, because there’s not really anything to look at, and he has no desire to watch the process.

He falls asleep some time during the process, because he’s just sitting in a chair, and having someone’s hands in his hair is actually quite soothing when he doesn’t think about what the hands are doing. When he wakes up, instead of facing the mirror, he’s making eye contact with Minghao, who’s sitting on a couch a few feet away. Or at least, he thinks it’s eye contact, because not having his glasses on means everything is a blur. 

“What’s up?” He asks. From what Wonwoo can tell, Minghao is staring blankly at nothing. Junhui and Mingyu are gone, probably buying snacks or something, leaving Minghao behind to take care of Wonwoo and translate for him if needed. 

The part of Wonwoo that desires nothing more than to take care of his boyfriends lights up in his chest, because Minghao has always been the type that thinks and feels more than he should, and when left alone in his thoughts tends to spiral if not given an outlet. Normally, that outlet is art, but when he’s alone with a sleeping Wonwoo in a hair salon very far from home, all he can do is sit and clench his hands in silence while Wonwoo feels completely useless. 

“Nothing much.” Minghao attempts to smile. He’s taken his sunglasses off, but Wonwoo still can’t see his eyes properly, and it frustrates him to no end. 

“It’s okay if you’re sad.” Wonwoo says, because Minghao has been putting on a front and pretending to be happy for the past few days for Junhui and his family, even if they all know him better than that. “No one blames you.” 

Minghao shrugs, and Wonwoo immediately reaches his hand out for Minghao to take, because the urge to comfort and soothe is overwhelming. 

“I don’t know why I’m still so torn up about it.” He says. “I knew they wouldn’t approve of our relationship before I went to go tell them. I haven’t even talked to my parents in years, really, so I should be used to it if they’re going to ignore me and pretend I don’t exist.”

“Should you?” Wonwoo asks. “They’re still your family.” 

Minghao smiles, and Wonwoo knows him well enough to know even without looking that it’s sarcastic. “You guys are my family now.” He says, honesty laced into his words, and Wonwoo squeezes his hand in thanks. 

“Still.” Wonwoo says, because the more time they spend in Shenzhen, the more Wonwoo thinks about his own family. “They’re your blood, and you’re their son. That’s a big deal.” 

Minghao is silent for a moment, but doesn’t let go of Wonwoo’s hand. Wonwoo listens to the hum of machines around them, the quiet chatter of the other customers in a language he doesn’t understand. It’s all background noise, but it calms his aching heart enough that he doesn’t immediately pull Minghao into his arms. 

“I just don’t want to be a downer for Junhui and Gyu.” Minghao whispers, quiet enough that Wonwoo has to strain to hear him. “They try their best, but they don’t really understand, you know? And I don’t want to be the guy who brings down the mood of the whole group when we’re supposed to be having a good time.” 

Wonwoo shakes his head. “We’re supposed to be having a good time, yes, but not because everything is fine. We decided to take this trip fully knowing that it wouldn’t be all sunshine and roses. It’s supposed to be a healing trip, and part of healing includes being hurt. So what if you bring the mood down? We love you, so we’re going to do whatever it takes to help lift you back up again, anyway.” 

Minghao laughs lightly. “You guys are really too good to me.” He doesn’t sound happy, exactly, but he sounds like a burden has been lifted off his shoulders a little.

Wonwoo closes his eyes and tilts his head back a little. “I’m just hoping you guys will do the same for me later.” 

Minghao immediately squeezes Wonwoo’s hand in his own. The reminder of the contact is enough to bring Wonwoo out of his head a little bit, but it’s not hard to imagine all the ways things could go wrong in Changwon. 

“Let’s not think about that now.” Minghao says, because there’s nothing he can really say. “We’re in Shenzhen, with Junhui’s family, and we’re going to make good memories that you’ll be able to take with you to your family later.” 

“Pre-healing.” Wonwoo says, cracking a smile. 

Minghao eyes him carefully. “Things might not go as bad as you think they will. Just because my parents care more for honor than love doesn’t mean yours will too.” 

Wonwoo shrugs, because Minghao wasn’t there when Wonwoo came out to his parents, biting his lip and shaking from nerves. He wasn’t there for the first two months of Wonwoo’s first year of university, when he had sat in his dorm room quietly, crying, while Jihoon alternated between ignoring his tears and fetching him tissues.

“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Wonwoo replies, because Minghao is right. They’re in Shenzhen, where the sun is shining, and Wonwoo can see Junhui and Mingyu outside the shop, throwing pieces of popcorn at each other. He’s holding Minghao’s hand, and even though he has no idea what he’s going to look like when he leaves the building, he’s sure it’ll be a good memory to look back on in the future.

“Hey, we got you guys snacks.” Junhui says, holding up a half-eaten bag of chips. Both he and Mingyu are smiling wide, and even downcast Minghao is grinning at the sight, so Wonwoo breathes in the sunshine and tattoos the memory in his heart.

\---

At eleven p.m., June fourteenth, Wonwoo calls his best friend. 

“Happy birthday, loser” He says, already laughing.

“You’re late.” Soonyoung replies. “Jihoonie wished me happy birthday first.” 

“We’re not even in the same country right now! It’s still yesterday for me. You  _ live _ with Jihoon!” 

“Should’ve thought of that before you decided to go abroad for my birthday.” 

Wonwoo snorts. “You’re so self centered. Why are we even friends?” 

“Beats me. You went and got your hair dyed without telling me!” Soonyoung sounds incredibly offended. 

Wonwoo rolls his eyes, even though Soonyoung can’t see him. He wonders which one of his boyfriends posted the picture on social media— Junhui, probably, since he seemed the most excited when they left the salon. 

“Okay but it looks good, right?” Wonwoo isn’t weak. He can admit that his boyfriends chose a color that suits him well. Even now, lying on Junhui’s extra large bed, his head is resting in Mingyu’s lap, and Mingyu’s hands combing through his hair absentmindedly. 

Soonyoung laughs. “Fine, fine. Silver is a good look on you, I’ll admit it.” 

“Thank you.” Mingyu calls loudly. Wonwoo’s not on speakerphone, but Mingyu is close enough to hear the call anyway, and Soonyoung laughs again in response. 

It’s still strange, every time he looks in the mirror. It’s not the reflection he expects to see anymore, especially since he’s switched his contacts out for glasses again. It’s summer, and he’s too lazy to put his contacts in every morning, and he thinks the glasses and silver hair are a good start to what will hopefully be the rest of a good vacation. 

“It’s been lonely ever since you and Moon Jun moved out.” Soonyoung says. 

Wonwoo sighs, rolling onto his side. His glasses dig into his nose uncomfortably, but Mingyu’s thigh is a warm pillow beneath his head, and there are still fingers running through his hair, so Wonwoo settles easily. 

“You’ve known for ages that Junnie and I were gonna move in with Hao and Gyu once we graduated.” Wonwoo reminds him. “We told you and Jihoon this way back in our second year.” 

“I know.” Soonyoung whines. “I‘m just not used to it. I go to bed every night terrified that you and Junhui are going to walk into the room making out or having sex or something.” 

Wonwoo sighs so heavily that Mingyu stops stroking his head in confusion. “First of all,” Wonwoo says, once Mingyu has resumed his petting duties, “What kind of porn have you been watching where people have sex while walking? Second of all, it was your choice to move into our old room. You could have pulled the seniority card and made Jihoon move in.” 

Soonyoung sucks in a breath audibly. “Have you ever tried to pull the seniority card on Jihoon before?” He asks. “That’s like asking him to murder you in your sleep. I’ll take you and Junhui’s old room gladly before I make Jihoon do anything he doesn’t want to do.” 

Wonwoo nearly doubles over in laughter, and it’s enough to get Mingyu chuckling a little bit too. “Your loss, then.” 

Wonwoo thinks he’ll miss living with Soonyoung and Jihoon. He and Junhui had been close friends with them ever since their first year of university, even before they had met Mingyu and Minghao. It had been the four of them for a long time, and Wonwoo will miss hearing Soonyoung screaming at various points in the day and forcing Jihoon out of his room to socialize with others.

“Hey!” Junhui pokes his head into the room. He had gone out with Minghao earlier, just the two of them, picking up their favorite snacks from a local convenience store, without what they called Wonwoo and Mingyu’s “uncultured presence”. “Tell Soonyoungie I said happy birthday!” 

“Soonyoung, Junnie said that he hopes you have a terrible day.” Wonwoo relays, and listens as Soonyoung laughs bright and big on the other end of the phone while Junhui pouts in anger. 

“Wonwoo!” Junhui complains, but the corners of his lips are turning upwards, and he can see Minghao in the hallway smiling in approval. 

“Thanks for calling.” Soonyoung says, and Wonwoo can practically hear the smile on his face. “Tell everyone I say hello, alright?” 

“Okay.” Wonwoo replies. The contentment in his heart doesn’t fade for the rest of the night.

\---

“It’s too hot to do anything.” Jun moans, rolling back and forth on the couch, head hanging precariously off the edge. 

All the windows in the apartment are open, letting in as much of a breeze as they possibly can, but the air is still hot and stifling, sitting heavy in Wonwoo’s throat. Every breath is a struggle, and the sweat building up on the back of his neck and in his armpits are very unsexy. 

It’s the perfect day to do absolutely nothing, and everyone’s in agreement. Mingyu is in the bedroom napping, Minghao is walking around the streets taking pictures, and Junhui and Wonwoo are lying on the couch and the floor respectively, praying for the heat to go away. 

“Ge.” Feng Jun says, standing in front of Junhui. He says something Wonwoo can’t understand, so Wonwoo closes his eyes and rests his head on the floor, because it takes too much brain power to pay attention to the conversation. 

Feng Jun leaves, and then he comes back again. “Ge.” He repeats. “Ge. Yuanyou-gege.” 

Wonwoo’s head jerks up from the floor, because he recognizes that name. Feng Jun is standing in front of him, smiling slightly, holding two game controllers. 

“Game?” He asks, and just like the night Junhui accidentally outed the four of them, Wonwoo understands him perfectly through his accent. On the T.V. behind him is a standard shooting game, one that Wonwoo’s played so many times he doesn’t need to understand what’s written on the screen to win. 

Wonwoo can’t help but smile. “Yeah, I’ll play.” He says, peeling himself off the floor. Junhui, on the couch, makes no attempt to hide a smile of his own. 

Wonwoo settles down to completely  _ destroy _ Junhui’s little brother in video games. It’s his fault for asking Wonwoo to play, after all.

\---

That night, when Wonwoo tucks himself into bed, he tosses and turns unrelentingly. It’s not as hot as it was during the day, thankfully, or else four people crammed into one bed together would be awful, but there’s a thrumming in his chest that refuses to go away, and Wonwoo can feel every time his heart beats when he lies still, trying to fall asleep.

“Are you okay?” Junhui whispers over Mingyu’s lightly snoring body. “You’ve been tossing and turning for a while.” 

Wonwoo licks his lips, which are dry and cracked. He misplaced his chapstick a few weeks ago, but even the heavy humidity isn’t enough to keep his skin from drying out. It’s okay, though. He’ll just steal Junhui’s tomorrow. 

“Can’t sleep.” Wonwoo whispers back. Every time he closes his eyes he can see Feng Jun’s nose scrunched in concentration, the same way Junhui’s does, and muted laughter from the couch behind him. It’s domestic and cute and exactly what this vacation was supposed to be about, which is why it makes no sense that all it does is fill Wonwoo with anxiety. 

Junhui shuffles a bit, literally rolling over Mingyu so that he can lie next to Wonwoo, their breaths mingling together. Wonwoo lets out a laugh and accidentally elbows Minghao behind him, but luckily, neither Minghao nor Mingyu wake up in the commotion. 

“Wanna talk about it?” Junhui asks, his hand coming up to trace the curves of Wonwoo’s face, eyes glittering in the night. 

Wonwoo shrugs as best he can. “Not really. I’m just nervous, I think.” 

Junhui hums. “Nervous?” He asks. 

Wonwoo doesn’t answer. Doesn’t need to answer, really.

Junhui’s fingers rest lightly on Wonwoo’s cheek, his lashes brushing against them every time he blinks. “You can tell us anything.” 

The words come out of Wonwoo like a sigh. “They’re my parents. And I know they love me, but I also know that I can’t live the life they want me to live, and it’s hard for them to accept that. And with all the time we spend here, eating with your parents and playing video games with your little brother only remind me that I won’t get that with my own parents.” 

There are too many similarities between his family and Junhui’s. When they were with Minghao in Anshan and when he visits Mingyu’s parents in Anyang, it’s okay, because there are enough differences between their families that Wonwoo’s mind doesn’t run away from him too much. But he looks at Feng Jun and sees Bohyuk and looks at Junhui’s parents and sees his own stoic dad and hard working mom, and it can get a little bit too much, sometimes. 

“You’ll be okay.” Junhui reassures him, his breath hot on Wonwoo’s face. It smells like mint. “We’ll be right by your side the whole time, remember? Plus, you’re too smart to give us away on the second day, and we have everything planned out. There’s nothing to worry about.” 

“You say that now, but…” Wonwoo trails off. There’s a difference between knowing intellectually that everything is going to be okay, and actually feeling it in his heart. Junhui and Mingyu don’t understand, because they haven’t experienced the strained relationship with their parents that Minghao and Wonwoo have, but just by looking at Minghao Wonwoo knows that what he’s feeling is true. 

Junhui laughs lightly. “We’re not going anywhere, baby.”  _ Baby. _ Everything about Junhui is so sweet.

Minghao rolls over onto his back next to Wonwoo, extending his arm over both Junhui and Wonwoo’s bodies. “Yeah, yeah.” He mumbles, still half asleep. “We all love Wonwoo, woo hoo, now go to sleep.” 

Wonwoo laughs, presses his lips to Junhui’s forehead, and does exactly that.

\---

Jun’s mom doesn’t let them go until ten minutes before boarding ends. The four of them have to rush through security and race to their gate in order to make the flight, bags heavy with food and gifts and accessories. 

When they’re finally seated on the plane, lungs gasping for air, Wonwoo notices that both Junhui and Minghao are wiping away tears. 

“Are you okay?” Mingyu asks, wrapping Minghao in as close to a bear hug as he can get, considering the fact that they’re on an airplane. Wonwoo smiles at the sight and takes Junhui’s hand quietly.

“I’m fine.” Minghao laughs more than he says. His attempts to push Mingyu’s arm away only result in a tighter hug. “I’m just going to miss them, that’s all.” 

Junhui squeezes Wonwoo’s hand, and Wonwoo squeezes back. Wonwoo supposes it makes sense: at some point during the month, Junhui had dropped the news that Minghao’s parents hadn’t taken the truth of their relationship so kindly. After that, they had made it their own personal mission to adopt Minghao into their family and treat him like their own son. 

Even now, Minghao’s bag is the heaviest with packaged food and nice clothes. Junhui’s family really had gone all out taking care of him, and it fills Wonwoo’s heart with something warm and shiny that Minghao has another family ready to take care of him. 

“Hey.” Junhui nudges Wonwoo’s arm, breaking him out of his reverie. “Look at this.” 

Wonwoo looks down at Junhui’s phone, where it’s open to a chat with his whole family. Wonwoo understands none of the messages, but the most recent message is a picture from Junhui’s mom.

It’s the four of them, from Junhui’s birthday. Junhui is in the middle of blowing out the candles on his cake, and the picture perfectly captures the moment of pure chaos, as the cocoa powder from the top of the cake spills across the table. Wonwoo can see himself laughing in one corner of the picture, Mingyu and Minghao in the other, and Wonwoo can’t help but smile as he looks at all of their faces individually. They’re all smiling and happy and it’s everything he wanted and more. 

“Send that to me when we land.” Wonwoo replies. 

(Later, his coworkers will ask him about his lockscreen, and how happy he and his friends look. Wonwoo will smile, his heart filled with contentment, and tell them about his loves.)

**Author's Note:**

> [tweeter](http://www.twitter.com/juniscake)


End file.
